The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
A railway management system often includes a local control panel (LCP) that is typically co-located in a wayside equipment house with a microprocessor or relay-based interlocking system for the purpose of field-testing, maintenance, and emergency control (when communications to the central control office has failed). An LCP is a non-vital device that can request a vital interlocking to change its state (e.g. to move a track switch or clear a signal), but the change will only be permitted if the vital interlocking determines it is safe to do so. LCPs have switches (pushbutton or toggle) for entering controls and LEDs (or incandescent lamps) for indication of device status. For example, a pushbutton is pressed to request a track switch to move, and its position is indicated (normal or reverse) via LEDs. The design of an LCP varies based on the type of interlocking control system (microprocessor or relay) and the capabilities of the interlocking controller. Common implementations of an LCP can include panel-mounted switches and lights wired to interposing non-vital relays that interface to the interlocking relay circuits; panel-mounted switches and lights wired to discrete non-vital I/O of the interlocking controller; panel-mounted switches and lights wired to or integrated with a microcontroller that interfaces to the interlocking controller through serial communications; and a laptop computer or rack-mounted touch-screen panel that provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and interfaces to the interlocking controller through serial communications. LCPs can be generic for use with any location or customized for a specific location. Typically, a Custom Local Control Panel (CLCP) will have a site-specific track layout and nomenclature. The track layout is usually etched or painted on an aluminum panel. Holes are punched in the panel to install the switches and lights. The switches and lights are then wired to the interlocking or an LCP controller as described above.
However, current CLCPs are inflexible as they do not allow the railway operator to easily expand the displaying and user input request control throughout the railway facility and control down to the local level where a local operator or maintenance personnel can benefit from the access to the status display or for inputting a request.